Chapter Text
It was odd that boombox wasn't really around lately. two weeks to be exact. he hadn't been answering texts or calls, nor was he showing up to hang out, not even showing up in phights, which was especially strange, knowing him.
Slingshot thought it was depression.
Coil assumed he was out of town.
Microphone joked that he was dead.
Skateboard, though…
skateboard feared the worst.
"Hey, uh, skate, you feelin' alright?" coil questioned, nudging his friend, eyebrow raised, jolting skateboard out of his train of thought.
"You've been real quiet. not like you, y'know."
Skateboard lowered his head, fidgeting with his hands in his hoodie pockets, his eyes darting around just a little bit.
"Sorry, sorry, just, I'm worried."
Coil frowned.
"This is about boombox,ain't it." he asked, "guessing you're stressed to high hell, eh?"
"mhm."
"I get it man,it's weird for him of all people to just, drop off the face of the earth."
"Yea…he's not even answering my texts."
"He's probably just depressed or something, or out of town, that's what sling said I'm pretty sure."
Skate put his face in his hands.
"But he would have at least TOLD ME if he was going out, and he doesn't just go silent when hes super depressed!! he'd at least be online, I've seen no activity on any of his profiles and- AND-"
"oh— jeez! skate, calm down! I don't need ya dying of a heart attack before he comes back!!"
"What if he's dead, what if he's been kidnapped and is being held hostage somewhere and-"
"skate, do you wanna go file a police report??"
Skateboard turned to look at him, his mood sombering.
"…I…I tried that already."
1 week 5 days ago,
The police station was quiet, a luxury that only rolled around once in a blue moon, one that the officers working there savored greatly whenever they could, peace and quiet was a rare commodity in the inpherno after all, especially places like craterdust capital, where chaos reigned and the architecture was just as unpredictable as the residents.
The only officer on duty, your average inphernal, 4 navy blue horns, two on each side, medium grey skin,donning the stock standard uniform seen across most police forces across crossroads and playground, sat at his desk, arms behind his head and feet kicked up on the table, assorted stationary and papers scattered on it, he was sorting through it all, well he was before, now he was taking a break before getting back to filing papers into drawers and putting pens in pots.
until he heard the door give way.
a fellow inphernal stood in the doorway. He was noticeably young, maybe early 20s at the oldest, he had grey skin, with large red horns and one of his bangs dyed red and black, in alternating stripes, he was wearing your average attire, hoodie, camo pants, a large backpack, and he was holding a helmet under his right arm. He'd seen him before, at least once or twice, around craterdust capital, but he'd never seen this person so, anxious, he was fidgeting, not making eye contact, very different from the laid-back, playful character this inphernal tended to be.
"hello? everything ok? you need anything?"
skateboard walked up to the desk, the cop noticing his expression, giving away how worried sick he must have been. what the hell had gotten this fella so concerned??
"I— hh- ok, I'd like to report a disappearance. its my friend, I haven't heard from him in 2 days and it isn't like him at all, and- and- and he- hes been inactive on his socials too, I can't get in contact with him at all, and I asked another one of my friends and - and-AND HE HADN'T HEARD FROM HIM EITHER AND-"
"alright, calm down, take a deep breath. do you have any details, appearance, last time you saw him? possible enemies?"
skateboard inhaled shakily.
"ok, so, he's 5'5, I think, he's got dark grey skin, green horns, hes got a visor over his eyes all the time, his gear is a boombox, OH his horns kinda curve inwards, ALSO his gear is a boombox, he's also got curly hair, and he uh, last time I saw him was 2 days ago when we were hanging out in crossroads, and he was wearing a green t shirt and jeans, also he- uh-"
"and how old is he?"
"23?"
the cop's tone shifted, he looked less interested to say the least, he simply brushed it off.
"He's over 18, he's probably not in immediate danger, every heard of voluntary disappearance? he's probably ok."
"What?? but- this isn't like him! why the hell would he dissapear!?"
"People have their reasons, simple as that, maybe he's gotten into hiking, maybe he's simply out of town, not really any reason to worry."
"But-"
"Look, its probably fine, he'll turn up in a week tops, if you don't hear from him after that, then call us and we'll file a report."
Skateboard went to retort, at his wits end, sick of this damn officer's dismissal.but retreated instead, he got the hint, the police weren't gonna do anything. As far as the cops were concerned, boombox was gone by his own accord and they "had better things to do" apparently, skateboard could tell they didn't have any intention to file a report.
And so, he simply sighed, muttered a halfheartedly polite "Ok" and walked out,he wasn't getting anywhere with this.
"And they dismissed it!? Just like that!? not even a report??" coil exclaimed, "I thought of all things, they'd take the disappearance of POPULAR MUSICIAN seriously!"
"I know right!? i was this close to getting up and PUNCHING that guy."
"You should've, just my opinion."
Coil put his hand on his chin, deep in thought.
"So, since calling the police is out of the question, guess we're gonna have to look for him ourselves."
"Mhm, we should've started looking sooner- what if he's dead or something i-"
"Alright, skate you're overthinking. You wanna head to the thieves rest n' plan stuff out? I know a guy who could help out."
Skateboard nodded.
"If it means we can plan better, then sure."
"Ah welcome to the thieves…rest?" Slingshot greeted, his tone lowering as soon as he laid eyes on the patrons entering his cafe.
"Hi sling." Coil waved, a little more solemn than usual. "Just hanging here til microphone shows up."
"Hmm? why?"
"Plannin' on looking for boombox. Mic's got this neat echolocation thing he can do, it might come in handy."
"Oh, so you're not here to bother me? that's od-"
"Psh, don't think Im gonna do that!" Coil laughed, "Nothing's gonna stop me from bein' a nuisance, besides, it might cheer skateboard up!"
Sling sighed, reserving himself to his fate.
"Alright, just this time I'll tolerate it."
"Oh, uh, by the way, can I order one of those matcha donuts, please?" Skate interjected, "Never had it before."
"Really?"
"Yea."
"alright, that'll be 4 bux," Sling replied, Skateboard handing over the payment.
"Thanks sling"
Another chime at the door of the thieve's rest, Sling looked over to see another inphernal entering the establishment, he was ghostly white, with long straight hair, and one of those baseball caps hanging off the side of his head, his horns were black, one much taller than the others, and seemingly hollow, with the familiar glimmer of electricity glimmering inside.
"Oh! Heya mic, took ya long enough!"
"Hi guys- sorry i took so long i was fixing up my biograft again…ehe."
"i still dunno why you kept that thing…anyways, you got my texts right?"
microphone nodded, sitting down next to skateboard, and pulling out his phone.
"The ones about boombox, right?"
"yep." Confirmed skateboard, "We were thinking, since you can echolocate…"
"Eh? Are you implying i echolocate boombox?!"
Coil smirked, nodding.
"Absolutely, besides, with how loud you can get it'd be a miracle if he didn't hear ya calling his name."
"true…"
"So, you free tomorrow?"
"Obviously, I'm friends with him too, y'know."
"Alright, lets plan this out first though."